Christians celebrate Easter this week by remembering the death and resurrection of Christ. Today’s video tells of the sacrifice Christ made to pay for our sins. Harry Dixon Loes was inspired to write the tune for “Blessed Redeemer” in 1920 after listening to a sermon on the atonement of Christ. He gave the composition to his good friend Avis Christiansen and asked her to write the lyrics.
Avis was born in 1895 in Chicago, Illinois, and lived there all her life. She attended Moody Church and sat under the preaching and teaching of Dr. Harry Ironside. At an early age Avis began writing poetry and went on to write thousands of poems and hundreds of hymns such as “Only One Life” and ”Love Found A Way”. She died in 1985 at the age of 90.
Harry Dixon Loes was born in 1892 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He studied music at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and went on to serve many churches with his music ministry. Eventually he returned to Moody where he taught music until his death in 1965. Loes wrote lyrics for 1,500 gospel songs and composed over 3,000 tunes including “This Little Light of Mine” and “Love Found A Way”.
Up Calv’ry’s mountain one dreadful morn
Walked Christ, my Savior, weary and worn;
Facing for sinners death on the cross,
That He might save them from endless loss.
“Father, forgive them!” thus did He pray,
E’en while His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe–
No one but Jesus ever loved so.
O how I love Him, Savior and Friend,
How can my praises ever find end?
Thro’ years unnumbered on heaven’s shore,
My tongue shall praise Him forevermore.
Chorus:
Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading—
Blind and unheeding— dying for me!
33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
Luke 23:33-34
14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
1 Timothy 1:14-15
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